WASHINGTON (AP) – The last time Russia invaded Ukraine was in 2014, outraged world leaders expelled Russia from the Group of Eight Industrialized Nations, which is rapidly rebranding into the Group of Seven.
Eight years later, the G-7 still stands at seven – a collection of countries meeting to discuss major issues such as trade, the economy and security.
Last week, as world leaders gathered in Washington for spring meetings involving representatives of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the G7 and the larger Group of 20, it quickly became clear that despite Russia’s ongoing attack on Ukraine, membership her G-20 remains firmly intact.
Although Russia has become a pariah of Western countries, it will remain part of the G20 and associated organizations unless member states reach a consensus that it must leave. This seems less and less likely as several countries, including China, Brazil and South Africa, have made it clear that they will support Russia’s membership in the G20, which represents industrialized countries and emerging markets.
Why would Russia want to stay when its presence in the group is clearly undesirable for many?
He can gain a lot from distorting events and sowing common discord between the parties in the forums. A look at this was seen last week when Russia blocked a key IMF advisory committee from issuing a communiqué condemning its invasion of Ukraine.
Faced with questions about what to do with Russia’s membership in the organization, various world financial leaders at the meetings twisted, avoided, protested or stayed put.
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, when asked about the prospect of ousting Russia from the G20, avoided calling for its removal.
“Obviously there are many, many disturbing facts that we have to deal with,” she said of Russia’s aggression. But then she turned to the “need for cooperation” to solve major global problems.
“Make a list of issues that no country can decide on its own,” she said, “and it is clear that cooperation must continue.”
Nadia Calvino, Spain’s economy minister and chair of the IMF’s advisory committee, complained that the meeting was “obviously not as usual”.
“Russia’s war against Ukraine has made it impossible to reach a consensus on a communiqué,” she said, adding that the commission has traditionally worked on the basis of consensus, so when a member secedes, we cannot agree that the vast majority of us would wanted. “
The World Bank said it had suspended all programs in Russia and allied Belarus since the invasion in late February and had not approved any new investments in Russia since 2014 or in Belarus since mid-2020. The IMF said it had not given Russia has been lending money for decades and does not support any programs there.
The dispute at the IMF meeting highlighted the challenges government leaders are likely to face in Indonesia in November, when G20 leaders are due to meet in Bali. President Joe Biden has called for Russia to be expelled from the group, but the United States has not said whether Biden will boycott the rally if Russia participates.
The G20 members are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Britain, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United States and the European Union. Spain is invited as a regular guest.
The United States and Canada are the biggest critics of Russia’s membership.
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Canadian Finance Minister Christia Freeland were among a number of officials who left the Group of 20 meeting on Wednesday when the Russian representative began speaking.
Freeland tweeted later: “This week’s meetings in Washington are in support of the world economy – and Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine is a serious threat to the world economy. Russia should not participate in or participate in these meetings. “
But several countries, including China, Brazil and South Africa, have voted to reject Russia’s removal measures. They argue that commitment is more important than isolation in difficult times.
“Expelling Russia would only isolate it and make it difficult to reach a constructive commitment,” said Clayson Moniela, a spokeswoman for South Africa’s international relations and cooperation department. “South Africa believes that it is more useful to keep Russia and to engage with it in order to find the lasting peace we all long for.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has blamed NATO for the war in Ukraine.
Brazilian Foreign Minister Carlos França told a news conference in Brazil that excluding Russia “does not help us find a solution to the immediate problem we have”, namely the need to end hostilities and Russia and Ukraine to negotiate lasting peace.
Stuart Patrick, director of the International Relations and Global Governance Program at the Council on Foreign Relations, said boycotting the G20 would be a mistake on the part of the United States. Rather, he said, “the United States should take every opportunity hit the Russians and others must use every opportunity to hit the Russians “, during the meetings later this year.
“The boycott is not sustainable,” he said. “Efforts must be made to embarrass Russia. It would be a mistake for the United States to take the ball and go elsewhere, because we will leave a hole in the G20 to be controlled by China.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said last month that Russia remains an “important member” of the G20 and no member has the right to expel another.
The G20 must “practice true multilateralism, strengthen solidarity and cooperation and work together to address the unresolved challenges in the fields of economy, finance and sustainable development,” Wang said.
Adam Lipsky, senior director of the Atlantic Council’s Geoeconomic Center, said Russia could gain the most from the differences that come from calling on the United States to remove it.
“By showing up, they are potentially derailing the entire G-20,” he told the Russians. “It gives them more control than they should. If the United States boycotts, then the G20 is falling apart, and that is in Russia’s favor.
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Associated Press writer Paul Wiseman of Washington contributed to the report. Alvarez reported from Brazil and Meldrum from Johannesburg.
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